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Thursday, June 25, 2015

Why I Blog

I originally started blogging to document and keep track of my pregnancy with Sophia. Not only would friends and family be able to keep up with my pregnancy, it would serve as a great memento for myself. I still look back on those posts and reminisce and hope to be able to share those posts with both Sophia and Saidey someday.

I did a pretty good job at keeping it updated on a regular basis but took breaks here and there. About a year and a half ago though, I decided to take a different track with my blog. I started to write more about things we were experiencing as a family along with some more personal posts. I started to get interested in blogging and exploring how I can expand upon what I was already doing. I started doing a little research on growing your blog and the possibilities of doing so. I got intrigued at even being able to make money off your blog. Although, it takes hours of energy and time, without getting paid, to build your blog- it can be possible to attract readers and start making money.

Yeaaa.. that sounds about right... sigh.

So- I started posting more frequently, changed my blog design, and continued to do research on how to grow your blog. Now, about a year later, I am still trying to grow my blog. I update my social media accounts to make sure I am posting regularly. I comment on other blogger's posts. I am doing all these things all the while checking Google Analytics to see where my traffic is coming from, how many page views I am receiving. And sometimes, I get so discouraged and wonder why I am doing all of this. What is the point? I spend probably up to 8-10 hours a week right now, drafting and creating posts, taking pictures, editing pictures and finalizing posts. Not to mention- updating all my social media accounts- Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, Google Plus, and Blogher, every time I write a new post. Oh and did I mention the time spent simply journaling as they say you should write every day to practice your writing skills?

One of the things I've learned since starting to post more is that you have to put yourself out there. People aren't going to come to my blog if I don't let them know about it. I'm not really one to do that. I don't necessarily like a lot of attention or being in the spot light. Sounds a little contradicting, I know- trying to put my blog out there. I'm not the one to message everyone on my Facebook friends list to beg them to visit my blog. Or to follow my blog. I am not one to reach out to a company to do a sponsored post. Or submit a post to be published. But then, what is all this effort for? It's a question I ask myself a million times a week as I'm struggling to edit a post and dealing with a picture that is not going where I want it to go. And don't get me started on watermarking pictures. Headache starting at just the thought.

But then I remember why. I remember the private messages of people reaching out to me after I've posted a personal experience. Or the great conversations I've had that a blog post has created. Or the personal growth I've experienced since challenging myself to write authentically. Some people may wonder why I decide to share such personal experiences on my blog and share it with everyone who reads it. Some may even disagree that some of my posts include pictures of my children or that I've decided to write about them at all. I go back to the reasons why I initially started a blog- to connect with people. It's as simple as that. I want to connect with people, relate to them and share in these moments that we call life. If I can help let someone know that they aren't alone in their struggles whether it's struggles related to parenting or personal struggles- then I've done what I've set out to do. And that's why I continue to blog, crouched over my computer at 10PM, editing and hammering out a new blog post every week.

So, if you are with me on this journey, I ask you to please follow me, like my posts, share them and be inspired by them. For those who have been my biggest fans- I so appreciate you more than you ever will know.